Rural mail-box.



G. F. FARRAR, RURAL MAIL BOX. APPLIOATION FILED AUG 24,

mama June 15, 1909.

' I N VEN TOR Chad es Far Far WW a WITNESSES:

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A TTO RNE 29S CHARLES F. FARRAR, OF HOWELL, MICHIGAN.

RURAL MAIL-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August-24, 1908.

Patented June 15, 1909.

Serial No. 449,963.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. FARRAR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Howell, in the county of Livingston and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rural Mail- Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accom anying drawings.

'1 is invention relates to mail boxes and more especially to a certain arrangement thereof adapting them for, rural mail routes whereby an indicator is automatically operated by the placing of mail in a box or its removal therefrom, to show such fact, and whereby a? simple construction is obtained which is weather tight, not liable to get out of order and cheap to manufacture.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in pers eotive of a mail box embodying features of t e invention. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the box with the cover raised. Fig. 3 is a view in detail of mail slot flap door.

Referring tothe drawings, 1 indicates a box of any suitable material and shape, preferably of sheet metal and rectangular in form. A cover 2, pref rably inclined with end and side flanges 3 closing over the boxrim to exclude rain and snow, is hinged in place on its rear edge. A mail slot is for-med 1n one end of the box and a flap door 4 therefor is pivoted thereon by a hinge rod 5 soldered, riveted or otherwise secured on its rear face with its ends journaled in apertured ears 6 secured on the inside of the box, the door, which-is preferably of thin sheet metal, havin an offset portion '7 above the .pivot rod which bears outwardly against the box side when the flap drops. A notched latch lug 8 is secured or formed on the door flap above its hinge rod in substantially parallel relation to the adjacent rear side 9 of the box, and one of the lower corners 10 of the flap is slightly out bent as a convenient means whereby an envelop or the like may be inserted as indicated under the door to raise it and thereby uncover the mail slot, so that the envelop may be pushed through it, enabling the user to place mail in the box with one hand only.

A lever 11, fulcrumed near one end on a pivot bolt 12 to swing on the wall transversely to the flap 4, has an inturned lug 13 adapted to slide over an inclined face 14 on the latch 8 when the outer end of the lever is raised and interlocked therewith when the lever is, against an upper stop pin 15. A flexible connecting cord or chain 16 between the cover 2 and lever raises the latter into engagement with the flap latch when the coveris lifted.

, An indicator tab or target 16 of suitable design is pivoted or hinged at its upper end on the free end of the lever 11 with its lower end in a slot 17 in the box bottom with'a flange 18 secured at its ends to the box side 7 This prevents any frost,

around the slot. ice, or snow that may adhere to the bottom of the box being drawn up into the interior by the retraction of the target, to the detriment of the box contents. A staple 19in the box end entering a slot in the flap, affords a convenient means for attaching a padlock, if desired. By this arrangement, the introduction of mail into the box drops the indicator into view, and opening the cover to remove the contents pulls the indicator out of si ht. The box is weather tight, not readi y injured and is chea to manufacture.

Obviously changes in t e details of construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not care 'to limit myself to any particular form or arrangement of parts.

What I claim as my invention is z 1. In a mail box, an indicator, a mail door in said box, means supporting the indicator adapted to interlock with the door when the indicator is concealed, and to move the indicator to display position when disengaged by the door, a movable cover, and means connecting the indicator supporting means and cover adaptedto move the latter means into engagement with the door when the cover is raised.

2. In a mail box, an indicator, a mail door in said box, a lever supporting the indicator adapted to interlock with the door when the indicator is concealed, and to move the indicator to display position when disengaged by the door, a movable cover, and a flexible connection between the indicator support ing lever and cover adapted to move the lever into engagement with the door when the cover is raised.

3. In a mail box having an internally flanged slot in its bottom, an indicator in the slot, a lever in the box articulated at the outer end to the indicator, a mail door in the box adapted to interlock with the inner end tion and the indicator housed, and when opening and provided with an outturned opened to leave the lever free to drop and lower corner, an offset portion of the door display the indicator, a cover for the box, and means articulating the cover and lever adapted when raised to swing the latter into enga ement with the door.

4. n a mail box having an internally flanged slot in its bottom, an indicator in the slot, a lever in' the box articulated at the outer end to the indicator, a mail door in the box adapted to interlock with the inner end of the lever when the latter is in raised position and the indicator housed and when opened to leave the lever free to drop and display the indicator, a cover for the box, and a flexible connecting member articulating the cover and lever adapted when raised to swing the latter into engagement with the door.

5. In a mail box having a mail opening, and an indicator slot in its bottom, a door for the opening closed by gravity, a latch on the door within the box, a lever pivoted in the box, an indicator on one end of the lever reciprocable through the slot, the other end of the lever being adapted to engage the latch when the indicator is within the box, a cover for the box, and means articulating the cover and lever adapted when raised to swing the lever into engagement with the door latch.

6; In a mail box having a mail opening in its wall, and an indicator slot in its bottom, a gravity closed door for the opening, a latch on the door within the box, a lever osoillatory in the box having one end adapted to interlock with the door latch when fully de-- mass .1 an indicator on the other end of the ever io-ciprocable through the bottom slot, 9. cover on the box and means on the cover adapted when raised to move the lever into engagement with the latch.

7. In a mail box having a mail opening in its wall and an indicator slot in its bottom, a door pivoted on the box adapted to seat itself by gravity over the opening outside the box and provided with an outturned lower corner, a latch on the door within the box, an indicator ieciprocable through the slot, means'supporting the indicator adapted to interlock with the latch when the door is disengaged to allow. the indicator to drop through the slot, a cover, and flexible con-' nections between the cover and supporting means adapted to move the latter into'engagcment with the latch when the cover is raised.

8. In a mail box having a mail opening in its wall and an indicator slot in'its bottom, a horizontally pivoted flap door extending through the opening adapted to seat itself by gravity on the outside of the box over the .closed and the indicator retracted and when extending above its center of oscillation, an

i'nturne'd latch lug on the oiiset portion, an

indicator reci rocable through the slot, means supporting the indicator adapted to interlock with the latch when the door is closed and the indicator retracted, and when disengaged to allow the indicator to drop through the slot, a cover, and flexible connections between the cover and supporting means adapted to move the latter into engagement with the latch when the cover is raised.

9. In a mail box having 'a mail opening in its wall and an indicator slot in its bottom, a horizontally pivoted flap door extending through the opening adapted to seat itself by gravity on the outside of the box over the drop through the bottom slot whent e latch releases the lever lug, a cover for the box and,

a flexible connection between the cover and the indicator end of the lever adapted to swing the lever into engagement with the door latch when the cover is moved.

10. In a mail box having a mail opening in its wall and an indicator slot in its'bottom, a horizontally pivoted flap door extending through the by gravity on the outside of the box over the opening and provided with an outturned lower corner, an ofiset portion of the door extending above its center of oscillation, an inturned latch in on the oflset portion, a lever pivoted withinthe box havin a lug on one end adapted to interlock with the latch when the door is seated and the other end of the lever raised, an indicator pivoted on the other end of the lever adapted to drop through the bottom slot when the latch releases the lever lug, a cover for the box,-a flexible connection between the cover and the indicator end of the lever, adapted to swingthe lever into engagement with the door latch when the cover is moved, and a flange strip secured around the rim of the bottom slot.

In testimony whereof I afijx. my signature in presence of two witnesses.

C. R. STICKNEY, A. M. Don-a.

opening, adapted to seat itself' 

